Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-10-16

labor struggle goes on apace, and all
these schemers assist ii but the pitch
Of the whole movement has been low
cred by the arrival OF Kearney, the
sand.lot orator, and the mouthings of
the Anarchists and Socialists, who are
grinding their personal axes with fe-
verish energy. Labor will have a
tough time before il gets through with
these leeches.
THE CAREER OF "THE MoUsErRAP.
The most important theatrical event
of the season thus far failed to make
success despite an enormous amount
of skill, energy, and industry. There
never was better illustration OF what
can be done towards lifting bad play
up in the world than " Mousetrap
afforded at Wallack's Theatre. The
mistake of the management was IN the
selection of the piece. 1t has no cohe-
sive dramatic force, the situations are
trite, and there is an utter lack OF nov
city from beginning to end. The lovers
are conventional, the old family doctor
is the same shrewd, blunt, and delibe-
rate person that he is in all English
plays, and in the end the heroine mar
ries her lover of course. The play was
written by an Englishman named Sid
ney Grundy. 1t has never been pro-
duced on the other side OF the water.
Nothing more magnificent than the
Suggesting OF this piece has been
seen in New York, and the costumes Of
the women were all that could be asked
for, even on Wallack's stage. Most
people, by the way, already speak of it
as Abbey's Theatre instead OF Wal
lacks, and it will doubtless take the
name Of the new manager before many
seasons have passed.
A STRONG COMPANY.
Mr.. Abbey has the most expensive
and powerful dramatic organization in
the country. OF the twenty-five rat
thing good actors in his employ only
seven appeared in "The Mousetrap."
OF these the two foremost women were
misplaced. Mrs. Abbey, formerly
known on the stage as Miss Florence
Girard, is brilliant and gifted come
dienne. In "The Mousetrap" she
played the sombre part of woman
who is slowly poisoning her husband to
death that she may marry her lover.
Rose Coghlan, on the other hand, WHO'S
a strong and forciable emotional ac-
tress, played frisky and frolicsome
young governess. She did it with the
sprightly grace of an amiable and ma
ternal COW. When Mrs. Abbey came to
the startling situation and killed he'll
self on the discovery Of her plot she
was weak. 1t was the keynote of the
play, and the one scene that should have
bolstered up the entire performance.
Mrs. Abbey has no tragic force, and
she failed where Miss Coghlan would
have succeeded. Everybody has been
wondering why the two women were
cast in characters SO precisely opposed
to their abilities. The explanation is
simple. When Miss Coghlan was en-
gagged as leading lady at the theatre
she knew that Mrs. Abbey would be in
the company, and she foresaw future
rivalry and disagreement. Thereupon
Mrs. Abbey, who is exceedingly good
natured and amiable, agreed to allow
Miss Coghlan to choose her own charac-
ter in every play that was produced.
When "The Mousetrap" was cast the
stage-manager, Tom Robertson, gave
the comedy part of the Governess to
Mrs. Abbey acd the rite of the female
poisOner to Miss Coghlan. The latter
instantly claimed the other part, and II
was given to her without a murmur.
Robertson should have known enough
of human nature to haye made an i'm
proper distribution of parts frat so as
to secure the right cast when the first
inevitable objection arose.
| AnREY'S PLTCK.